From the farm to the 1969 Miracle Mets, Jerry Koosman

Jerry Koosman was known for his pitch control through his career. In 1967 he led the international league in strikeouts. The following year 1968 he signed on with the New York Mets and emerged as their left-handed ace. At the time he broke the club record with nineteen wins, seven shutouts, and a .208 ERA. Kooseman was named the National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year, and runner up to Rookie of the Year to the great Johnny Bench.  

In 1969 Koosman and his teammate Tom Seaver became the leagues top lefty/righty starter combination. Koosman went 17-9, and recorded two wins in the World Series. He would forever be ingrained in history as a part of the 1969 Miracle Mets. At the time the Mets became the first expansion team to win a world championship after 7 seasons since the teams beginning in 1961. 

After going 21-10 in 1976 season Koosman went on to play with the Red, Twins, White Sox, and Phillies.  In 1984 Koosman gave up a double to Pete Rose which marked his four thousandth career hit. In 1989 he was inducted into the Mets hall of fame.  After 19 years of playing in the majors, Jerry Koosman shared a letter about his journey from a farm in Minnesota to facing off against his childhood hero.

I grew up on a farm in Western Minnesota, so my days consisted of a variety of chores. My dad raised cattle, hogs, chickens, ducks, and we had two gardens beside the 360 acres of farm land. So, heavy labor such as throwing bales of hay and straw, fencing and shoveling were an everyday chore. This helped me create a strong body for playing baseball or any sport. Later when I turned pro, training for baseball seemed easy compared to working on the farm.

My dad loved baseball and wanted to see his three boys play at any lever of competition. He insisted that we throw one hour each day to build strong arms and to hone our pitches and control. Since  the closest town was nine miles away and the chores plentiful, we didn't have the opportunity to play much organized team baseball. Besides practicing out pitching and catching, we would throw long and also play a game called 500. One of us would hit to the other two. Fly balls would count 100 points, one hoppers were 75 points, two hoppers 50 points, and a three hopper was 25. The first one to reach the score of 500 would then get to hit. This game made us very competitive among each other and aggressive in getting up to be the hitter. On a farm there are a lot of stones to throw, and we did just that. We would have contests as to who could hit a bird sitting on a wire, fence post, a spot on a building, skipping rocks across the water, or how high we could throw something. Corn cobs were plentiful and we had a lot of corn cob fights.

At 13 years of age, I was accepted to play on a semipro team in our area as an outfielder and my older brother was pitching for that team. We would practice on Wednesday evenings and play on Sunday afternoons. One day when my brother was playing center field and I was playing left field, he ran into me as I was catching a semi line drive in left center and he broke his leg. Since he was also a pitcher for the team, we needed another pitcher. Because of my strong throwing arm, I was his replacement and thus my pitching career was started. 

My hero was Willie Mays, who played for the San Francisco Giants. My first appearance against the Giants during regular season play was in the home opener at Shea Stadium in 1968. It was a sellout crowd on a cool, but sunny day. I hadn't pitched many innings at Shea Stadium before that, as I had been up with the Mets the year before for only 56 days, and mostly as a reliever. I won my first start of the 1968 season in Los Angeles five days earlier, pitching a shutout - four to nothing, but this game was different because the Giants were in town, led by the Great Willie Mays. To start the first inning, Tito Fuentes reached base with a single, Jim Davenport reached base on an error, and I walked Willie McCovey. Now with the bases loaded and no one out, I felt the fans were wondering, "how long I would last in the big leagues." Willie Mays was the next hitter (my hero) and he looked like a lion ready to devour a mouse that was cornered with no place to go. He looked very confident, like he was saying, "just throw what you got up here and take what I give you!" I knew he made a living in situations like this and I was not going to be his exception. 

At this point I was thinking, what in the world is a farm kid from Minnesota doing here in a situation like this? He can eat me alive! As I was quickly thinking about how to get through this situation, I remembered 1966 and what Clyde McCullough told me as my manager when I played for Auburn, NY.  He said "Son, whenever you're in trouble, don't forget about "OLE Number One." He was reminding me then, that my best pitch was a fastball, and the rest of my pitches were secondary. I did just that, I threw the best fastballs I had ever thrown to that point in my career and struck out Willie! The next hitter was Jim Ray Hart and he popped up to my catcher Jerry Grote, and I struck out the catcher Jack Hiatt. I felt like I was on top of the world, the fans were screaming in approval and our team felt like we were good enough to beat the world class Giants. When the game was over, I had thrown my second shutout in a row and we won the game three to nothing. A few years later, Willie Mays was traded to the Mets and I had the wonderful privilege of playing with my hero, as a teammate for three years!

Breaking the color barrier and living the American Dream. A Letter from Joe Black

My dad wrote to many ex-ball players asking for advice to give to young kids about playing the game.  Every week, we would receive letters and autographs that we couldn't wait to share. Dad took these letters and wrote two books full of tips; both chock-full of with advice from former pros. After time passed Dad gave me the collection of baseball cards, articles, and memorabilia he had acquired. Included in the assortment were copies of the books he had written. I'm sad to say I packed them up and stored them in my basement for years. Recently we had some work done to our home and while reorganizing, I rediscovered my dad's collection.  Within it I found an inspirational letter from a man that portrays a story of segregation in America, and how he succeeded in obtaining his American Dream.  This letter was from former Brooklyn Dodger, Joe Black.

Joe Black joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952 after playing one season in the minors.  Prior to this season Black served in the army and attended Morgan State University. He also played seven seasons in the Negro Leagues for the Baltimore Elite Giants with future teammate Roy Campanella. In 1952 Black had an incredible season winning fifteen games with fifteen saves and won the league’s rookie of the year award. To everyone's surprise Black (who was a reliever) was announced as the starter for game one of the 1952 World Series against the New York Yankees. He pitched a complete game giving up two runs and six hits to an all-white Yankees club, whose lineup carried legendary players like Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, and a young Mickey Mantle. Black was the first ever African American pitcher to win a World Series game. The Dodgers lost the series with Black recording a loss in game four and game seven. His career was never the same after the season. Forever memorialized in baseball history, Black went on to be a successful businessman and continued to break the color barrier by becoming the first African American vice president of Greyhound.  (A transportation company)

Even though Jackie Robinson had broken through baseball's color barrier five years earlier, life wasn't easy for Joe Black. In a time where segregation still existed in many parts of the country, racism and hate still plagued many African American ball players trying to break into the big leagues. Although Joe died in 2002 I would like to thank him for taking the time to write this letter.

Stay in school and master the class work. Practice and play baseball as often as your spare time will allow. To any youth I would quote, "Dream or reach for the stars, but remember that you must prepare yourself through study or practice if you want your dream to come true.'"

Baseball taught me the true meaning of America, the "Land of Opportunity." As a young boy growing up in Plainfield, NJ, on Sundays I would go to the local parks and watch my father and Uncle Frank play for the Plainfield Colored Stars. I combined the action from these games with the colorful descriptions of Major League Baseball games, via the radio and began to visualize myself playing the game in a competitive environment. Baseball really consumed my dreams when I discovered the excitement of the World Series in 1934.  I was a confident ten year old when I announced to my mother that, one day; I was going to play in the World Series. My mother smiled and said: "That's good." Every day my actions were geared toward baseball. In summer months my friends and I would play in the streets or on empty lots. When I wasn't playing with them I was throwing tennis balls against the walls of buildings and fielding the bouncing balls. In the winter I would throw snowballs at cans or telephone poles. Time passed and God was kind to me and he provided me with the intellect and agility to make the high school varsity baseball team for 3 years. Baseball and school were fun until my senior year when a baseball scout broke my heart with this cold, but honest statement; "Colored guys don't play in the big leagues." Those words pierced my heart, and this six-foot, two hundred-lb athlete was reduced to a crying little boy as I ran home to hide from my shattered dream. I could not believe that an American could not play America's number one past time, baseball. I hated white people for promoting the lie, "Sweet land of liberty" and "With freedom and justice for all." It's a terrible thing to hate, but with the love and strength from my mother and encouragement from the professors at Morgan State College, I was able to overcome those feeling of inferiority.

I moved onward and upward in the educational world and jubilantly played baseball in the Negro National League with the Baltimore Elite Giants, and as they say "The Lord works in mysterious ways." In October of 1952 I was standing at attention in Ebbets Field as the words to the Star Spangled Banner filled the air and I said silently, "Thank God for these United States where you do have a chance to make your dreams come true. “You see, I was ready to be the starting pitcher for the Dodgers in the 1952 World Series

                                                                                                                           - Joe Black                                                                                                                     

If you enjoyed this letter and want to learn more about Joe Black and his life I highly recommend reading Joe Black: More Than A Dodger, co-written by his daughter Martha Jo Black and Chuck Schoffner

 

Black, Martha Jo, and Chuck Schoffner. Joe Black: More than a Dodger. Academy Chicago Publishers, 2015.

Words of Wisdom to kids by Don Kessinger, Ralph Branca, and a letter from Elden Auker

So as a kid, around 11 years old, my dad started to write baseball players through the mail asking, "What piece of advice would you give to a youngster, which you found to be helpful in your career?"  Sometimes the players would give little bits of advise, but some would write a paragraph, and others, you will see, wrote full letters.

Don Kessinger wrote, "The best advice I can give any young man concerning baseball is to have fun playing the game." Kessinger played 16 years in the majors, for the Cubs, Cardinals, and White Sox as a player-manager in 1979.  He signed with the Chicago Cubs out of the University of Mississippi, and in his first year in the majors, in 1965, he lead the league in errors. Despite the rough start, Kessinger, with fellow team mates Ernie Banks, Glen Beckert, and Ron Santo, led the league in put-outs by a short-stop for three years, assists four years, double plays four years, and fielding average once. He also played for the National League in five All Star Games and was awarded two Gold Glove Awards.

Ralph Branca, AKA Hawk, penned, "Practice what you don't do well. Improve on your lesser abilities." Branca won 21 games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 at the young age of 21. He won game six in the World Series, saved by Al Gionfriddo's famous catch of a long drive to the fence by Joe DiMaggio.  Ralph Branca was also on the hill the day Bobby Thompson hit "The Shot Heard Around the World" to win the 1951 playoff.  After retiring as a player Branca became a broadcaster for the Mets.

Submarine pitcher Elden Auker, appropriately nicknamed "Submarine", developed his underhand style of pitching due to a shoulder injury he suffered while playing football for Kansas State University. In addition to college football, he also played basketball and baseball.  While playing for the Tigers in 1935, he led the league in winning percentage with a record of 18-7.  Auker also got to pitch the first night game in St. Louis on May 24, 1940, unfortunately resulting in a loss to Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians 3-2.  When asked what advice he might have for a youngster, Auker wrote back with an entire page saying:

I hope [your sons] dream of playing professional baseball comes true.  I highly recommend that he refrains from the use of tobacco, in all forms, drugs, and alcohol.  From the physical standpoint, the legs are the most important part of the body.  in all forms of athletics, keeping the legs in perfect condition is the secret to the athlete's success.  Sprinting is the best form of leg conditioning.  Unending practice is a must whether it be throwing or batting. Then run, run, run!  Last but not least, GET YOUR EDUCATION FIRST!  If you are successful in obtaining your goal in any sport, the professional life is relatively short.  So it is important to have your education and be prepared for a long and happy life after you have retired from professional baseball or whatever professional sport you may choose.  

I can say, I never remember breaking a window, being late for a game, or having met my hero.  I really never had a hero; I just played the game and met many great players, all of whom became close friends.  I was a very fortunate young man and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of "The Game," during those years.  I had so many interesting experiences during my career, that it is difficult to point to one in particular.  Beating the Cardinals in the 1934 World Series, winning the World Series in 1935, were two I will never forget.  

I was interested in what George Kell told kids.  He was very fortunate to have a father who wanted to "play catch."  I had a great dad but I do not remember him ever "Playing Catch" with me.  In fact I Did not expect him to.  That was for us kids.  I am a great believer that a child who has an interest in any kind of sports should learn to play the sport with his peers.  I think the parents should encourage him or her to participate and support their effort in every way possible.  If the child has the desire and ability, he can only build his confidence and develop his god-given talent by competing with his or her peers.  My advice is to let the child develop and grow into his own talent.  This builds his inner confidence and leaves his desire to compete to himself.  These two elements should never be forced upon the child.

I can say from experience, if a child has the desire to play any sport in high school, college, or professionally, they must take the utmost care of their body.  A healthy body must be free from drugs, alcohol, and nicotine.  If a child does not have the courage to avoid these three substances, then they do not have the courage to compete at a high level in sports.  Also if they are going to compete in in any sports, the legs are the most important part of conditioning.  Running is the only way to keep in condition.  In any sport, when the legs go, so does the ability.  

Sincerely,
Elden Auker

Take it from a pro who struck out the Babe in four pitches in his first big league appearance,  keep your nose clean, go to school, and don't ever skip leg day!